Give Yourself A Photo Assignment II

I have too many interests! Photography is my passion, but I also love cooking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, gardening—the list goes on. Orchids have always fascinated the gardener in me and at one point, I decided to give myself an assignment …

Join A Location Photography Workshop In Spring 2019

Join professional magazine photographer Chuck Place for 5 fun location photo shoots on consecutive Saturday mornings starting March 23 in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and Santa Barbara area. With input from Chuck, fine tune your photographic skills and …

Great Photography Tool For Leveling Your Camera

I love my cameras! There, I’ve said it. Neither my Canon 5D MkII or MkIII has ever quit on me. They give me consistent, predictable results. The quality is great and if an image does not resonate well, I know …

Photographing The Shape Of Motion With Shutter Drag

Most of the time we love fast shutter speeds. They “freeze” the moment. But on the other hand, fast shutter speeds also hide the beauty and grace of movement. The swirl of a dancer, the sensuous shape of a breaking …

Photographing Native American Powwows: Planning, Etiquette and Tips

I could feel the drum beat in my bones, almost like a heart beat. Native American dancers seemed to float just above the dance floor, red rock canyon walls towering over the dance arena. I was photographing the annual Gallup …

Magic Hour Photography: Get Creative And Capture The Drama

Few photographers can resist shooting a beautiful sunset. Clouds build up, color starts to develop, you have a perfect ocean or lake surface for great reflections or you found some fascinating trees or buildings to silhouette against the colorful sky. …

Aerial Drone Photography: Capturing The View From Above

All the world seems to have gone drone crazy, and for a very good reason. The camera viewpoint is totally unique and gives you access to locations you can’t reach by foot. They can fly lower than a helicopter, are …

Delicious Food Photography: The Basics Of Cooking Up Mouth Watering Images

I was shooting an article on Monterey, California, known for Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and great seafood. Dungeness crab is at the top of the areas epicurean list and I had already photographed a display of crabs on …

Gold Leafing: A Beautiful Alternative Photographic Print Process

I’ve been fascinated since childhood with gold and silver things. I cherish a tiny gold engraved vase that belonged to my grandmother, and a silver art deco jewelry box … a gift from my father to my mother during their …

Forced Perspective: Add Drama And Depth To Your Photographs

Standing in the middle of Taos Pueblo, I was trying to decide how I would photograph the impressive five-story North Building. I knew I would use a technique called Forced Perspective to emphasize the scale of the building and create …